Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Readers and Tweeters Go to the Mat on Abortion Rights and Perceived Wrongs
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Despite a First-Ever ‘Right-to-Repair’ Law, There’s No Easy Fix for Wheelchair Users
Colorado lawmakers approved a measure that will make it easier for people to fix their power wheelchairs when they wear out or break down, but arcane regulations and manufacturers create high hurdles for nationwide reform.
Montana Hires a Medicaid Director With a Managed-Care Past
Montana, one of about a dozen states still managing its own Medicaid programs, has a new Medicaid director who championed handing the management of the program to private companies in Iowa and Kansas.
Her First Colonoscopy Cost Her $0. Her Second Cost $2,185. Why?
Preventive care, like screening colonoscopies, is supposed to be free of charge to patients under the Affordable Care Act. But some hospitals haven’t gotten the memo.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Private Equity Is Everywhere in Health Care. Really.
Private equity companies are the house-flippers of the investment world, and they’ve found their way into many areas of our lives — including your local gastroenterologist’s office.
Journalists Explore Affordability of Mental Health Care, Abortion Laws’ Effect on Miscarriages
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
As Red Cross Moves to Pricey Blood Treatment Method, Hospitals Call for More Choice
The nation’s largest supplier of platelets is moving to a method it says is easier for hospitals, but one that sharply raises costs, leading some centers to demand more options.
Census Undercount Threatens Federal Food and Health Programs on Reservations
The 2020 census undercounted people living on Native American reservations. The money for many needed federal aid programs is tied to those population numbers.
Senate GOP Puts Up Roadblocks to Bipartisan House Bill for Veterans’ Burn Pit Care
The Senate could start work this week on a bipartisan bill to make it much easier for veterans to get health care and benefits if they get sick from exposure to massive, open-air incineration pits in war zones. The legislation has gained minimal support among Senate Republicans, who say they are concerned about the cost and the ability of Veterans Affairs to handle such a large new mission.
Even When IVF Is Covered by Insurance, High Bills and Hassles Abound
Only 15 states require insurance to cover in vitro fertilization, a common path to parenthood for people who have trouble getting pregnant. And even for those whose insurance covers IVF, the expensive procedures and required drugs can lead to unexpected bills.